Senior Picture Ideas: Ten Ways To Shine in your Senior Pictures

Are you wanting to look like a goddess at your senior session? I mean, who doesn’t – right?!

Here are my top 10 tips on how to shine in your senior pictures. Hopefully you will find them helpful and will give you some ideas on where to start when planning your outfits! You don’t have to incorporate all of these tips, but choose a few that speak to you and feel free to have fun with them! And most important…be YOU!

My ten tips to shine in your senior pictures:

10. A Leather or Bomber Jacket

Adding a leather or bomber jacket, or really any kind of fitted jacket, adds instant style and interest. This works especially well if your style is more urban/hipster.

9. Dress is THREES

It is no secret that adding layers to your outfits adds interest and style (think a store mannequin at J. Crew). However, I’m about to tell you a huge secret from the fashion world (that I just learned myself). Dress is THREES. Dressing in threes is the perfect balance of interest and style. Here are some examples:

• A button-down shirt, a vest, and a long necklace (three items)
• A maxi dress, a floral crown, and an armful of gold bangle bracelets
• A shirt, leather jacket, and a messy pulled-out braid
• A sundress, a Panama hat, and a long necklace

8. Color

Girls, this is a very important tip! Show up for your senior pictures with LOTS of color! Jewel tones are the most universally flattering colors. And I am a big fan of solid colors. Some of my favorites are: cobalt blue, red, coral, seafoam blue, emerald green, purple. Below are four pictures from Kylee’s session. She absolutely nailed it with the colors she chose for her session!

7. A Bold Lip

Most of you probably don’t wear lipstick every day, or hardly ever. However, a bright lipstick, lip bright pink or red, adds SO much to your pictures. It photographs beautifully and adds so much confidence!

At our senior model shoot last spring, I asked all of the girls put on bold red lipstick at the end of the shoot. It was amazing how their confidence and “inner models” all seemed to come out as soon as the lipstick went on! Trust me!

6. Flower Crown

Floral crowns is a popular trend right now. They are so pretty and fun. I am a big fan of this look. Paired with a maxi dress, your pictures will look very romantic and pretty. The fresh flower crown below I actually made with some lilacs and floral wire. Please feel free to bring one along to your session, or let me know if you want to try it and I’ll see if I can bring some as well.

5. Layered Jewelry

I am a HUGE fan of layers when you get your pictures done, and adding a few pieces of statement jewelry is probably the easiest way to pull an outfit together. It is no secret that gold jewelry is my favorite. I also bring a few statement pieces in my trunk of props if you want to try mine you are welcome to!

4. Hats

Hats a such a fun way to add instant style to your pictures. It is really one of my favorite accessories — in fact, when I do senior sessions, my trunk is full with a tub of different fun, stylish hats. Don’t be afraid to try it – you might just love it! Even simply holding a hat adds  interest and instant style.

3. A Maxi Dress

2. False Lashes 

If you take one tip away from this post, hopefully it is this one! Other than adding instant glamour, false eyelashes really pop on camera and add that extra sparkle to your eyes. Many girls want a natural look to their make-up when they get their senior portraits taken, and lashes can be done with natural-looking make-up.

Professional make-up is included in any of my Senior Luxe or Lavish sessions, and that includes lashes. My amazing make-up artist will come to your home to do your make-up the morning of the shoot. and she is an absolute pro at applying false lashes. However, if you are doing your own make-up, you could always apply them yourself, or have a friend come over to help.

1. Confidence

If you bring nothing else to your session, there is a reason that confidence is #1. Many of us do not get our pictures taken very often, at least not professionally. Relax, have fun, and be confidence. That is the BEST thing that you can do! Know that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, just the way you are. Beauty is so much more than the clothes we wear, the make-up we apply, the way we fix our hair. Beauty really comes from within. I often remind my daughters (ages 5 and 7) that they should have a beautiful heart.